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The People Behind (and Under) the City

Another May, another National Public Works Week. It's so commercialized you hardly celebrate it anymore. If you want to rediscover the real meaning of NPWW, attend O'Fallon's Annual Public Works Fair from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. in the west parking lot of T.R. Hughes Ballpark (T.R. Hughes Boulevard and Tom Ginnever Avenue; 636-379-3807 or www.ofallon.mo.us). Representatives from the streets division will be there with the big vehicles they use every day to keep cities working. Witness the power of the combination sewer-cleaning machine/easement machine, which blasts clogs out of sewer lines and thereby keeps your toilet operational; see how water travels from the water tower to your house via the science of the water system model; and get a good look at the 48-inch wheel saw which slices through concrete. You'll regain your appreciation for the people who maintain the infrastructure of modern life, as well as for the true spirit of the season. Admission is free, and hot dogs, chips and soda are also gratis.
Wed., May 19, 2010